2.4 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES 



with center-board up, 22 inch es ; with center-board down, 6 feet ; length 

 of masts, each, 28 feet; bowsprit, outside stem, 6 feet; main-boom, 18 

 feet; main-gaff, 9 feet; fore-gaff, 8 feet. Cost, $320. 



The boats used at Sack Bay, near Fayette, Michigan, on Bay de No- 

 quet, Lake Michigan, are both clinker and carvel-built, with esssen- 

 tially the same form and rig as that last described. The Sack Bay 

 craft, however, have their mainmast a little shorter than the foremast; 

 the wash-boards are 5 inches wide in the middle and taper to 2 inches at 

 the stern. The wash-boards are provided with the usual coaming on 

 the inside, and some of the boats have, in addition, a bow-chock or 

 wash-strake 3J inches high around the bow and extending aft from it 

 for a distance of 9 feet on each side, its purpose being to keep off the 

 spray or swash when the boat dives in a seaway. 



The following are about the average dimensions of the boats of this 

 region : Length over all, 26 feet ; beam, 6 feet 6 inches ; stem to forward 

 thwart, 7 to 8 feet ; after thwart to stern-post, 11 feet ; length of center- 

 board case, 4 J to 5 feet. 



At Duluth, Minnesota, the mackinaw boats average about 32 feet in 

 length ; at Bayfield, Wisconsin, 25 feet ; and at Marquette, Michigan, 

 30 feet. 



13. NORWEGIAN BOAT. 



In some localities on the lakes, particularly at Grand Haven, St. 

 Joseph, and Michigan City, a peculiar type of sloop or cutter-rigged 

 boat is employed by natives of Norway and Sweden, who naturally pre- 

 fer to use craft similar to those they were familiar with in Europe. 

 Among the fishermen this is known as the u Norwegian boat," for the 

 twofold reason that in form, construction, and rig it resembles the fish- 

 ingboatsof Norway, and that it is used exclusively by Scandinavians. Its 

 non-adoption by American or other fishermen is because they consider it 

 too heavy and unwieldy in calm weather, when rowing must be resorted 

 to. Thus, although it sails well in a fresli breeze and is far superior in 

 sea-worthiness to any other boat on the lakes, all the fishermen, except 

 those from northern Europe, prefer a center- board boat that is lighter 

 in construction, which will sail better in light winds, and is easy to row 

 in calm weather. 



{i At Grand Haven," says a writer, " we find all ' heavy rigs. 7 The 

 sail-boats used are the huge, clumsy Norwegian sloops, from 30 to 40 

 feet in length, with 10 feet beam, and carrying 200 yards of canvas. 

 They are the safest and driest boats used on the lakes, and, by their 

 owners, pronounced the fastest as well, as they assert they can easily 

 pass the lake schooners with them. Even those using the Hayward or 

 Huron boat speak in the highest terms of the Norwegian." 



The " Norwegian " is usually a sharp-stern keel-boat, with strong 

 sheer, hollow floor near the keel, and more or less concave water-line 

 forward and aft. In recent years it is sometimes built with a narrow 



